Cartridge-type lipstick container or the like

ABSTRACT

The invention contemplates an improved refill cartridge and insert construction for use in lipstick containers involving outer decorative casings, the insert being permanently assembled into the bore of the base of the outer decorative casing. The particular feature of the invention resides in locking or detent action between a part of the base end of the refill cartridge and an inwardly projecting insert part which also has keyed rotary driving engagement with the base end of the cartridge. The nature of the action is such as to permit smooth insertion and removal of the cartridge with minimum transient distortion of the outer decorative casing. No residual stress is applied to the casing once the insertion or the removal of the cartridge has been completed.

United States Patent Geisel CARTRIDGE-TYPE LIPSTICK CONTAINER OR THELIKE FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 314,497 6/1956 Switzerland ..401/79Primary Examiner-Lawrence Charles AttorneySandoe, Hopgood and Calimafde[5 7] ABSTRACT The invention contemplates an improved refill cartridgeand insert construction for use in lipstick containers involving outerdecorative casings, the insert being permanently assembled into the boreof the base of the outer decorative casing. The particular feature ofthe invention resides in locking or detent action between a part of thebase end of the refill cartridge and an inwardly projecting insert partwhich also has keyed rotary driving engagement with the base end of thecartridge. The nature of the action is such as to permit smoothinsertion and removal of the cartridge with minimum transient distortionof the outer decorative casing. No residual stress is applied to thecasing once the insertion or the removal of the cartridge has beencompleted.

9 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures CARTRIDGE-TYPE LIPSTICK CONTAINER OR THELIKE This invention relates to an improved lipstick containerconstruction, and in particular to a lipstick of the removable cartridgetype wherein the cartridge assembly is received in an outer decorativecasing.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved device of thecharacter indicated.

Another object is to provide a cartridge-type refill-containerconstruction featuring improved locking engagement between the partswhen the cartridge is received in the housmg.

A further object is to meet the above objects with a device in whichadequately positive locking action is assured as long as the parts areassembled, and yet they may be unlocked by simple manipulation.

A still further object is to meet the above objects with a basic insertconstruction for an outer decorative casing so as to render thecartridge and insert structure universally applicable to a plurality ofouter casing configurations, and so as also to inherently receive andsecure a plurality of types of refill-cartridge construction, saidinsert construction being basically usable in the most delicate of outercasing structures.

A specific object is to meet the foregoing objects with a constructionin which the same parts and formations serve both the functions of axiallocking and angular keying of the car tridge to the outer decorativecasing.

Other objects and various further features of novelty and invention willbe pointed out or will be apparent to those skilled in the art from areading of the following specification in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings. In said drawings, which show, for illustrativepurposes only, a preferred form of the invention:

FIG. 1 is a view in elevation of an assembly according to the inventionwith a cartridge refill received in the base housing member of the outerdecorative housing, the closure cap being suggested in phantom outline;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view in perspective showing an insert shellconstruction incorporated into the base housing structure ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a similar perspective view of a refill cartridge adapted tocoact with the shell of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view in elevation, with base housing parts partlybroken-away and shown in section to reveal coaction of the parts inassembled relation;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the base end of the cartridge,taken substantially at the plane 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken in the plane 6 6 ofFlG. 5;and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of part of the insert, takensubstantially at the radial plane 77 of FIG. 2.

Briefly stated, the invention contemplates an improved refill cartridgeand insert construction for use in lipstick containers involving outerdecorative casings, the insert being permanently assembled into the boreof the base of the outer decorative casing. The particular feature ofthe invention resides in locking or detent action between a part of thebase end of the refill cartridge and an inwardly projecting insert partwhich also has keyed rotary driving engagement with the base end of thecartridge. The nature of the action is such as to permit smoothinsertion and removal of the cartridge with minimum transient distortionof the outer decorative casing. No residual stress is applied to thecasing once the insertion or the removal of the cartridge has beencompleted.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the invention is shown inapplication to a cartridge-refill container designated generally 10,removably received within the lower or base half of an outer decorativehousing member, designated generally 11. The housing member is shown tobe generally cylindrical and to comprise a lower cylindrical end 12 andan upper or reduced cylindrical end 13. A stop formation such as thebead l4 separates the two cylindrical portions 12-13, and the entireassembly is closed when desired by placement of the closure cap 15 overthe sleeve portion 13 for friction retention, as by nib means 17adjacent the bead 14. The cartridge refill 10 may be of the typeemploying two relatively rotatable parts to produce propel-repel actionof a lipstick carrier therewithin, and it suffices for present purposesto identify the upper or application end 16, which may be cylindrical,having an opening through which the lipstick is selectively projected,and in addition, to identify a lower or base operating end 18 receivedand concealed within the base housing member 12.

When the closure cap 15 is removed and with the parts then as shown insolid outline in FIG. 1, the lipstick within the cartridge 10 isprojected and retracted in accordance with relative rotation of theexposed cartridge part 16 and the base housing member 12. This is doneby means of a keyed engagement between the base end 18 of the cartridgeand a suitable formation or formations within the bore of the basehousing member 12. These formations serve not only to provide theindicated keying engagement but also coact with the base end 18 toachieve a two-way acting detent snap-lock function.

In accordance with the invention, the formation or formations in thebore of the casing 11 are provided as one or more radially inwardprojections 19 in the wall of an insert or shell 20 (FIG. 2). The insert20 is permanently assembled to the bore of the outer decorative casingpart 12, so as to permit universal adaptability to a wide variety ofouter decorative casings, to suit particular customer requirements.

As shown, the insert 20 comprises an elongated cylindrical shell portion21 which conforms to the axial and diametrical extent of the bore ofcasing part 12, and the lower end 22 is closed to provide both bottomand cylindrical support for the casing part 12. To relieve the need fortotal reliance on a pressfit to assure permanent assembly, a smallcircumferential bead 23 is shown formed in the cylindrical portion 21,at a location near but spaced from the bead l4. Bead 14 is shown as anintegral formation of insert 20, and the reduced neck 13 is alsointegral therewith. The casing part 12 may be of any material includinginjection-molded plastic; it has a smooth bore contiguous to the insertsurface 21, and is axially retained at an internal groove into whichbead 23 snaps upon telescoped assembly. The entire described insert 20is preferably made of thin stiffly resilient metal, such as a suitablebrass or steel, and may be formed from flat stock, of 0.010- to0.012-inch thickness, on a so-called eyelet machine.

The nature of keying and detent action is such that the inwardprojection or bump l9 interferes transiently with a part of the base 18as the cartridge is assembled to the insert 20. The interference causeslocal resilient radial deformation of the cylindrical portion 21 and,once past the interference, the projection 19 is retained within one ofthe plurality of like, equally spaced local depressions 24 whichcharacterize the base end 18. Preferably, the depressions 24 andprojection 19 are of matching contour, with slight clearance afterassembly, so as to assure against prolonged residual radial stress onthe cylindrical part 12 of outer casing 11. As shown, both theprojection l9 and the depressions 24 are axially elongated, for betterloading of abutting surfaces when rotary drive torque is applied.

Referring to the detailed sectional views of FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, thedepressions 24 are seen to extend axially between a circumferential bead25 and the apparently enlarged bottom end 26 of the base 18. In reality,this is only an appearance, resulting from the fact that depressions 24are local inward deformations in the otherwise cylindrical wall of thebase 18. Since depressions 24 occur axially upward of the bottom end 26,there necessarily remains a generally circular bead at 26, by which thedepressions 24 terminate short of the bottom end 26. The radial extentof the bead at 26 may thus be said to define a terminal plane (marked X)at its maximum. It is the radial extent at the terminal plane X which isrelied upon to achieve detent interference with projection 19. Yet, whenprojection 19 is in full axial and angular register with one of thedepressions 24, having completely traversed the terminal plane, thelocal resilient stress of insert 20 is relieved with a gentle snapaction, and the parts are removably locked in place.

it will be seen that l have described an improved construction meetingall the stated objects. The mechanism lends itself to a wide range ofdecorative casing employments. For example, the molded casing part 12may be brittle by reason of intaglio or relief external features, or itmay be smooth and relatively thin and translucent, to developpearlescent effects when the smooth supporting surface 21 is brightlyfinished or is otherwise characterized; for variously colored andstriated effects, a propionate-type material such as that known asC.A.P. may be used. Even the bright highlight of the bead 23, as viewedthrough translucent material, may enhance the decorative appeal. Theinventive action may be achieved when only one or when a plurality ofprojections 19 are formed in the surface 21, and I generally prefer toutilize two or three projections 19. In the latter event, the angularspacing between adjacent projections 19 is an integer multiple of theangular spacing of adjacent depressions 24. The gently roundedundulations of and between depressions 24 appear clearly in FIG. andwill be appreciated as providing angular camming coaction withprojection 19, to assure ultimately correct angular registry of themated formations 19-24.

While the invention has been described in detail for the preferred formshown, it will be understood that modifications may be made withoutdeparture from the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a lipstick or the like container cartridge having abase end and an applicator end for exposing lipstick or the like to beapplied, a cup-shaped housing member having an opening removablyreceiving the base end of the cartridge, said cup-shaped housing memberincluding an outer decorative cup and an insert shell fixedly carried bythe bore of said cup near the open end thereof, said shell including anintegral radially inwardly directed projection located axially short ofthe closed end of said housing member, and said base end having a keyformation engageable with said projection when axially inserted therein,said key formation and projection also having two-way acting axialsnap-lock detent action at their angular alignment for keyed engagement,said detent action occurring just prior to full axial insertion of saidbase end into said shell, whereby the same parts provide both detent andkey functions for a wide variety of different possible outer decorativecups into which said shell is fixedly assembled, said base end beingcharacterized by a plurality of like angularly spaced depressions anyone of which is adapted to receive said projection when in angularregister with said projection, said depressions being near the lowerterminal plane of said base end and having their maximum radial depthaxially inwardly of said terminal plane, whereby detent action may occurat substantially the region of projection interference at said terminalplane and therefore just prior to full axial registry of said projectionwith one of the depressions.

2. The combination of claim 1, in which said shell has two spaced likeprojections engageable with said depressions, the angular space betweensaid projections being an integer multiple of the angular space betweenadjacent depressions at said base end.

3. The combination of claim 1, in which said shell has plural spacedlike projections engageable with said projections, the angular spacesbetween adjacent projections being integer multiples of the angularspace between adjacent depressions at said base end.

4. The combination of claim 1, in which said depressions are axiallyelongated beginning substantially at said terminal plane and extendingin the axially upward direction therefrom, said projection beingcorrespondingly elongated, whereby increased elongated keying contact isprovided.

5. The combination of claim 1, in which said shell is of thin relativelystiffly resilient metal, whereby slight local radial compliance isavailable to provide positive yet easy-acting detento eration.

6. he combination of claim 5, in which said shell is axially elongatedin both directions away from the region of said projection and in whichsaid shell is fully contained within the bore of said outer decorativecup, whereby detent action occasions slight transient radial deformationof said shell, such deformation being axially limited to a region remotefrom the axial ends of said outer decorative cup so as to create aminimum hazard to the permanent integrity of such cup even for the mostdelicate decorative cup construction.

7. In combination, a lipstick or the like container cartridge having abase end and an applicator end for exposing lipstick or the like to beapplied, a cup-shaped housing member having an opening removablyreceiving the base end of the cartridge, said cup-shaped housing memberincluding an outer decorative cup and an insert shell fixedly carried bythe bore of said cup near the open end thereof, said shell including anintegral radially inwardly directed projection located axially short ofthe closed end of said housing member, and said base end having a keyformation engageable with said projection when axially inserted therein,said key formation and projection also having two-way acting axialsnap-lock detent action at their angular alignment for keyed engagement,said detent action occurring just prior to full axial insertion of saidbase end into said shell, whereby the same parts provide both detent andkey functions for a wide variety of different possible outer decorativecups into which said shell is fixedly assembled, said shell being thetubular wall of a metal insert cup having a closed end abutting andsupporting the closed end of the outer decorative cup.

8. The combination of claim 7, in which said shell is tubular andextends axially for substantially the full axial extent of the bore ofsaid outer decorative cup and in radially supporting relation therewith.

9. The combination of claim 8, in which said shell includes a radiallyoutward bead adjacent the open end of said outer decorative cup.

1. In combination, a lipstick or the like container cartridge having abase end and an applicator end for exposing lipstick or the like to beapplied, a cup-shaped housing member having an opening removablyreceiving the base end of the cartridge, said cup-shaped housing memberincluding an outer decorative cup and an insert shell fixedly carried bythe bore of said cup near the open end thereof, said shell including anintegral radially inwardly directed projection located axially short ofthe closed end of said housing member, and said base end having a keyformation engageable with said projection when axially inserted therein,said key formation and projection also having two-way acting axialsnap-lock detent actiOn at their angular alignment for keyed engagement,said detent action occurring just prior to full axial insertion of saidbase end into said shell, whereby the same parts provide both detent andkey functions for a wide variety of different possible outer decorativecups into which said shell is fixedly assembled, said base end beingcharacterized by a plurality of like angularly spaced depressions anyone of which is adapted to receive said projection when in angularregister with said projection, said depressions being near the lowerterminal plane of said base end and having their maximum radial depthaxially inwardly of said terminal plane, whereby detent action may occurat substantially the region of projection interference at said terminalplane and therefore just prior to full axial registry of said projectionwith one of the depressions.
 2. The combination of claim 1, in whichsaid shell has two spaced like projections engageable with saiddepressions, the angular space between said projections being an integermultiple of the angular space between adjacent depressions at said baseend.
 3. The combination of claim 1, in which said shell has pluralspaced like projections engageable with said projections, the angularspaces between adjacent projections being integer multiples of theangular space between adjacent depressions at said base end.
 4. Thecombination of claim 1, in which said depressions are axially elongatedbeginning substantially at said terminal plane and extending in theaxially upward direction therefrom, said projection beingcorrespondingly elongated, whereby increased elongated keying contact isprovided.
 5. The combination of claim 1, in which said shell is of thinrelatively stiffly resilient metal, whereby slight local radialcompliance is available to provide positive yet easy-acting detentoperation.
 6. The combination of claim 5, in which said shell is axiallyelongated in both directions away from the region of said projection andin which said shell is fully contained within the bore of said outerdecorative cup, whereby detent action occasions slight transient radialdeformation of said shell, such deformation being axially limited to aregion remote from the axial ends of said outer decorative cup so as tocreate a minimum hazard to the permanent integrity of such cup even forthe most delicate decorative cup construction.
 7. In combination, alipstick or the like container cartridge having a base end and anapplicator end for exposing lipstick or the like to be applied, acup-shaped housing member having an opening removably receiving the baseend of the cartridge, said cup-shaped housing member including an outerdecorative cup and an insert shell fixedly carried by the bore of saidcup near the open end thereof, said shell including an integral radiallyinwardly directed projection located axially short of the closed end ofsaid housing member, and said base end having a key formation engageablewith said projection when axially inserted therein, said key formationand projection also having two-way acting axial snap-lock detent actionat their angular alignment for keyed engagement, said detent actionoccurring just prior to full axial insertion of said base end into saidshell, whereby the same parts provide both detent and key functions fora wide variety of different possible outer decorative cups into whichsaid shell is fixedly assembled, said shell being the tubular wall of ametal insert cup having a closed end abutting and supporting the closedend of the outer decorative cup.
 8. The combination of claim 7, in whichsaid shell is tubular and extends axially for substantially the fullaxial extent of the bore of said outer decorative cup and in radiallysupporting relation therewith.
 9. The combination of claim 8, in whichsaid shell includes a radially outward bead adjacent the open end ofsaid outer decorative cup.